Meadowlands Racetrack hosted the final Breakfast with the Babies session of the month on Friday, June 26 under cloudy conditions with temperatures in the mid-70's and a track listed as fast.
Breakfast With The Babies (BWTB) is presented this year by the Tactical Landing Syndicate, Ecurie D Syndicate, and Karl Syndicate, with those talented trotters standing at Southwind Farms of New Jersey.
Three trainers picked up training triples during Friday's 15 baby races. Petter Engblom, Marcus Melander and Ake Svanstedt each conditioned three winners, with the latter sending out the fastest 2-year-old trotter of the year to this point.
Starstruck Dreamer kicked off the morning with an impressive effort, winning in 1:55.2. Todd McCarthy sat the bay in third and off the lead as Bona Fide Bluechip (driven by Dexter Dunn) doled out fractions of :29.3, :59.1 and 1:28.3. Edging off the pylons at that third station, Starstruck Dreamer paced home powerfully to pick off the pacesetter and win by 1-1/4 lengths over Bona Fide Bluechip, with Steamboat Willie (Pat Ryder) charging hard at the end of his mile to complete the top trio.
A son of Captaintreacherous and the first foal from the accomplished award winner Scarlett Hanover, Starstruck Dreamer was a $145,833 purchase from the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale with Steve Wienick Racing LLC of Delray Beach, Fl., Pryde Stables Inc. of North York, Ont., and Jfoderatritchiecanamerica of Staten Island, N.Y. as the owners. Bred by Sergent Stables LLC of Blairsville, Pa., Starstruck Dreamer is trained by Noel Daley.
JK Simcha made every call a winning one for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Nancy Takter in the session's second baby race. The daughter of Bulldog Hanover-Joyride Hanover left alertly from post seven against her seven rivals, delivered splits of :29.3, :58 and 1:27 before willingly pacing home in :27.3 to win in 1:54.3, fending off a late bid from Glittering (Pat Ryder) by 1-1/2 lengths. Butterfly Effect (Tim Tetrick) showed good late kick to finish third.
Bred by Eric Good of Davidsonville, Md., JK Simcha is owned by 3 Brothers Stables of New York, N.Y. after a $173,611 transaction at Lexington last fall.
A winner in the first BWTB session of the season, Wall Of Fame picked up another victory and lowered her lifetime mark with a pocket-popping score in the third dash. Grandiflora (Todd McCarthy) fronted the field through fair fractions of :31.1, 1:02 and 1:31.1, but couldn't hold off Wall Of Fame in the stretch as Andy Miller angled the daughter of Walner-Saadet from the pocket and she trotted by through a :26.2 final quarter to trip the timer in 1:57.4. Grandiflora stayed for second, two lengths back, with Fascination (Jason Bartlett) next best.
Trained by Julie Miller, Wall Of Fame was a $83,333 Lexington purchase from breeders 30 Plus Stable and Klemmer Holdings Inc. of Trenton, Ont. She's now owned by Andy Miller Stable Inc. of Cream Ridge, N.J., Jean Goehlen of Franconia, N.H., Hutchison Harness LLC of North Ridgeville, Oh. and Rick Huffman of Sigourney, Ia.
Internal Dialog has shown she's got a nose for the finish line in her pair of appearances, now winning twice by the slimmest of margins. Zeron landed the Megan Scran trainee in third as A Million Reasons (Dunn) delivered panels of :29.3, :59.3 and 1:30.2. At that third station, Zeron started his outer flow approach and took aim at the leader with Internal Dialog. HL Kapara (Tim Tetrick) followed that move from fourth, and those two fillies trotted to the line as a tandem with Internal Dialog holding on to win by a nose in 1:58.3. Besame Chula (Bartlett) finished 2-1/2 lengths back of the top pair in third.
A daughter of Ecurie D DK-Livininthefastlane, Internal Dialog was purchased in Lexington by Ontario-based owners Stephen Palermo of Etobicoke, Todd Coleman of Paris, Jeff Ruch of Innisfil and Dean Lockhart of Collingwood. She was bred by Concord Stud Farm LLC and Julie Meirs of Cream Ridge, N.J.
Making the biggest splash of the morning, Kountry Plunge showed signs of why she attracted a final bid of $277,778 in Lexington last fall. The daughter of Chapter Seven from world champion Plunge Blue Chip cut all the fractions in her BWTB debut, towing trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt through fractions of :29.3, :58.3 and 1:27.4 before closing in :27.1 for the 1:55 jaw-dropper to win the fifth dash and post the fastest two-year-old trotting mile this season in North America. Extremely Tactical (Todd McCarthy) was next best, more than six lengths back, with Done And Dusted (Bartlett) in for third.
Kountry Plunge was bred by Kountry Lane Standardbred LLC of Nappanee, Ind., with ownership now in the hands of Obm Stable of Delray Beach, Fl., Svanstedt & Midnight Sun of Wrightstown, N.J., Bender Sweden Inc. of Vero Beach, Fl and Ecurie Diocles Ab of Sigtuna, Sweden.
The sixth dash of the session produced a positive outcome for Positive Process, a wire-to-wire winner in 1:53.3 to procure today's fastest mile on the pace. Jason Bartlett pointed the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Ideation Hanover to the top from post six and she made every call a winning one from there. After fractions of :29.3, :58.1 and 1:26.3, Positive Process persisted on top to fend off late rallies from second-place finisher JK Lady Liberty (Zeron) and Wendy J Stings (Dunn) for the 1:53.3 decision, best by a nose.
Now a two-time BWTB victress, Positive Process is trained by Petter Engblom for owners Engblom Farm LLC of Wrightstown, N.J. and Douglas Sipple of Georgetown, De. She was purchased at the Standardbred Horse Sales Co.'s yearling sale in Harrisburg, Pa. for $91,549.
New Hope appeared collared turning for home in the morning's seventh baby race, but the son of Greenshoe-Cloud Nine Fashion showed force and grit to re-rally for the 1:57.4 score on debut. Tim Tetrick asked the Linda Toscano trainee to set the tempo from post seven, and the colt obliged through fractions of :30.1 and 1:00.2 before being confronted by overland challenger Bentley Blue Chip (Svanstedt) at the 1:30.1 third station. Turning for home, Bentley Blue Chip took over and looked to pull away from his fellow trotters, but New Hope would not yield and came back on for the victory by a neck. Book It Armitage (Yannick Gingras) closed well to complete the top trio.
Plucked from Harrisburg for $56,338 from breeder Fashion Farms LLC of New Hope, Pa., New Hope is now owned by Camelot Stable Inc. of Freehold, N.J., Bill Elliott of Woodstock, Ont., J P Huber of Dublin, Oh. and Radio Racing Stable of Waynes, N.J.
Presidente prevailed in the morning's eighth qualifier, showing a strong late brush to earn himself a 1:57 speed badge. Scott Zeron sat the son of Walner-Grandmas Moni in third as Orpheus (Svanstedt) and Gios Hope (Dunn) took turns fronting the field through early fractions of :30.2 and 1:00.1. As Gios Hope tripped the third timer in 1:29.2, Zeron was out from third and starting his rally. Once at the head of the stretch, Presidente said farewell to the also-rans and hit the wire 2-1/2 lengths to the good over Gios Hope and Orpheus.
Nancy Takter trains Presidente, a $243,056 Lexington yearling owned by Black Horse Racing of Pompano Beach, Fl. Helene Anderberg of Malmo, Sweden and Pryde Stables Inc. with breeder Moni Maker Stable of Enfield, Conn. retaining an ownership piece.
American Lou just missed in his qualifying debut two weeks back, but the son of Sweet Lou-American Sara found the wire first in the session's ninth baby race. Jason Bartlett pocketed the pacer behind pacesetter Captain Kangaroo (Andy McCarthy) through fractions of :29.3, :58.1 and 1:26.4 before angling out in the lane and wearing down the leader to win by three parts of a length in 1:54.1. Dog Dare You (Dunn) finished third.
Trained by Petter Engblom, American Lou was purchased in Harrisburg for $98,592 by Engblom Farm LLC and Daniel Sarafian of Unionville, Ont. The colt was bred in Ontario by Kim Laird and Farhi Standardbreds Corp. of London.
The two-year-old colt with the baby race session's highest yearling price tag was Jimdougie Armitage, selling last fall at Lexington for $1,041,667. The son of Captain Corey-Quick Bet made a statement in his BWTB debut, setting all the fractions and repelling all challenges in a 1:57.2 performance for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt. Out stoutly from post two, Jimdougie Armitage trotted through splits of :30.4, 1:00.4 and 1:30 before storming home in :27.2 while fending off a stretch bid from Top Reacher (Dunn) to win by two lengths. Pul Biber (Zeron) snuck up the pylons to best Top Reacher for second.
Jimdougie Armitage is owned by breeder S R F Stable of Del Ray Beach, Fl. with co-owners Knutsson Trotting Inc. and Brochart Stable Inc. of Del Ray Beach along with Svanstedt & Midnight Sun.
Secret Lover now sports wins in both of her appearances at The Meadowlands. A winner in 2:00.2 here two weeks ago, the daughter of Chapter Seven-Elegant Touch took five full seconds off that mark with a determined 1:55.2 effort in the morning's 11th baby race. Jason Bartlett asked the trotter to leave early and the filly responded, clearing Orchestra (Dunn) before the :30 opening quarter. After an accelerated :58.3 half and 1:27.4 third station, Orchestra was the only challenger to Secret Lover and those two were noses apart at the wire. In the photo, Secret Lover held off Orchestra, with Dandelion Wine (Svanstedt) completing the top trio.
Bred by Diamond Creek Farm LLC of Lexington, Ky., Secret Lover is trained by Petter Engblom for owner Joost Van Riet of De Pinte, Belgium. The filly was a $159,722 yearling purchase in Lexington last fall.
Athenas Girl made a miscue in her Big M baby race debut on June 11, but the Marcus Melander trainee minded her manners in the 12th dash and maintained control throughout her morning test for a 1:58 mark. Dexter Dunn guided the daughter of Walner-Fashion Athena through the winning effort, with the filly on top through fractions of :30.3, 1:00.3 and 1:30.1 before trotting home in :27.4 to best Creamy Armitage (Tetrick) by a half length. Oneiromancer (Svanstedt) was best of the rest in third.
Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. owns Athenas Girl, purchased from breeder Fashion Farms in Harrisburg for $422,535.
Now perfect in both of his qualifying efforts, Lifetime Dreamer showed poise and potential with his 1:55.4 performance in the 13th baby race. Driver Yannick Gingras pointed the gelded son of Ecurie D DK-Lifetime Gift forward off the car and landed on top to front the field at the :29.3 opening quarter. From third, Tactics Guy (Tetrick) brushed to the lead down the backside to take over through middle splits of :58.4 and 1:28, but couldn't hold off Lifetime Dreamer in the stretch as Gingras angled back out turning for home and his colt responded with a final quarter in :27.3 to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:55.4. Tactics Guy finished second with Run For You (Andy McCarthy) in for third.
Ake Svanstedt trains and (as Ake Svanstedt Inc.) owns Lifetime Dreamer, a $90,278 Lexington yearling. Co-owners include breeder Brittany Farms LLC of Versailles, Ky., Bruni Racing Team Inc and Suleyman Yuksel Stables Inc. of Delray Beach, Fl.
Headline had a big bow in his neck before the 14th baby race began, and the son of Walner-Vogue certainly delivered on that amped-up appearance with an impressive wire-to-wire victory. Scott Zeron allowed Headline to put up panels of :30.2, 1:00.1 and 1:29.3 before trotting home in :28.3 for the 1:58.1 tally. Supreme Chapter (Mattias Melander) finished 2-3/4 lengths back in second with Kountry Win (Dunn) showing better manners in his third attempt to close for third.
Marcus Melander trains Headline, a $225,352 Harrisburg yearling owned by Brad Grant along with breeder Order By Stable of Boras, Sweden.
Loves Passion closed out the 15-dash session of baby races with her second winning effort in as many tries. The daughter of Walner-Secret Passion stepped away quickly from post five for driver Dexter Dunn, made the lead heading into the first turn, and then held that lead for the rest of the mile. After fractions of :29.4, :58.3 and 1:27.4, Loves Passion took the final turn wide but stayed strong as City Of Light (Scott Zeron) flashed sharp late speed down the lane to make it interesting in the final strides. Those strong strides couldn't collar the tempo-setter in time as Loves Passion prevailed by a neck in 1:56.2. Caught Speeding (Lucas Wallin) completed the top three finishers.
A three-quarter sibling to sophomore Spencer Hanover — presently the top ranked trotter in harness racing and 5-2 morning line favourite for tonight's G2 MGM Yonkers Trot — Loves Passion is owned by Jeffrey Snyder of New York, N.Y. and Arthur Pronti of Jersey City, N.J. The $422,535 Harrisburg yearling, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. of Hanover, Pa., is trained by Marcus Melander — also the conditioner of the accomplished older sibling.
Live harness racing resumes at The Meadowlands on Friday night with a first post time at 6:35 p.m. Please note that The Meadowlands is dark for live racing on Saturday, June 27 due to the World Cup.
(with files from The Meadowlands, photo of Kountry Plunge)